Raila supporters tear-gassed during his birthday party

Police tear-gassed Raila Odinga's supporters during the opposition leader's birthday celebrations on Sunday, leaders from his Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party said.

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka told a press conference in Nairobi that they had to change the venue for a cake-cutting ceremony they had organised to celebrate the former prime minister, who turned 79 on Sunday.

"Our supporters were tear-gassed for celebrating Baba's birthday. Why would someone teargas a birthday cake? Maybe someone wants to stop the start of a revolution," said the former vice president.

Tim Wanyonyi, the MP for Westlands, claimed police orchestrated the incident.

"The police turned up and tear-gassed our supporters. The government is scared because of tension and Kenyans who have no money as schools reopen," he said.

Odinga himself was reportedly not present during the incident, with Mr Musyoka saying he was away in Malindi, Kilifi County.

Citizen Digital saw people dressed in the opposition coalition's purple and orange colours singing birthday songs around a cake mounted at a tent near Kenya National Archives in the Nairobi city centre.

Tear gas canisters began blowing up at the main table where the cake and cutlery were placed, as the crowd and nearby traders rushed away.

A woman in purple tried to take away the cake from the cloud of smoke but another canister was lobbed at her, landing directly onto the cake. She threw the cake and walked away while two black SUVs were seen driving off the scene.

The cakes were decorated with 'Cut VAT', 'Cut Turnover Tax' and 'Cut Housing Levy', among other phrases, while atop them a miniature Kenyan flag was mounted.

The Azimio leaders were speaking to the media at Serena Hotel, which they said is where they had moved the cake-cutting ceremony.

"No one can prevent people from cutting a cake. The teargas is a fear the government has about Odinga," Musyoka added.